Omaha's newest high school is in its final stages of renovations and admissions.

St. Peter Claver is a Catholic school for low-income students that offers a unique curriculum. As part of the Cristo Rey Network, the school will include a schedule whereby students will go to school four days a week. One day a week, they will work to help pay nearly 75 percent of their tuition.

Advertisement

"The kids will really have an opportunity to experience different industries and when they graduate," said the school's admission director Andres Traslavina. "They'll have four years of work experience, which, not too many high school kids can say that."

Traslavina said there's a recruitment push under way to attract students who would be a good fit for the nontraditional Catholic high school.

"We're looking for students that believe in themselves and would like to give something back to their community," he said.

Traslavina said he's hoping for a first-year class of about 155 freshmen.

April Spencer is applying on behalf of her daughter.

"My main thing is, I want my daughter to have a chance at a better future," Spencer said.

St. Peter Claver will have classes and extracurricular activities similar to most other Omaha high schools, but Traslavina said it is designed to give students with lower incomes an equal chance to succeed.

"Regardless of where you come from, you will have an opportunity that will last you a lifetime," he said.

The deadline to apply at St. Peter Claver is April 20. To meet income requirements, school officials said, students must qualify for free or reduced-lunch programs. Potential students then go through an interview and testing process.